The invention relates generally to business forms and, in particular, to a combination shipping label/detachable packing slip/label.
Shipping labels and packing slips are well known in the art. A shipping label is a form affixed to a package for the purpose of indicating the addressee. Shipping labels are quite often adhesive backed, and the addressee""s name and address are either pre-printed or custom printed on the label by one of various printing means. When shipping goods, the shipper typically also includes a packing slip, which is a form containing a listing of the contents of the package. Packing slips may be included interior to the package, or may be affixed to the outside of the package. A common packing slip configuration incorporates a paper form stuffed into a transparent pouch or bag secured with adhesive to the package. Thus, the recipient can open the pouch and review the packing slip prior to opening the package.
While the function of a shipping label is easily understood and almost universally applied, people use packing slips in different ways. For example, a shipper can use a packing slip as a guide when packing items in a package, whereas a recipient can use the packing slip to verify the contents of a package before opening. It would be beneficial, then, if the packing slip was designed to accommodate both of these purposes. For example, it would be helpful if the packing slip contained a bordered adhesive strip for temporary affixation to an internal package wall during packing, and yet could be detached from the border either for affixation to an outer package wall, or enclosed in an external pouch. Both shipping labels and packing slips contain common information, such as the recipient""s name and address, a tracking number, etc. It is more efficient, then, if both the shipping label and packing slip can be arranged in a single form, and printed at the same time.
Other combination shipping label/packing slip forms are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,469 (Heimerdinger et al.), for example, discloses a combination shipping and packing list label. Unfortunately, this patent does not teach detachability of the packing list label from the corresponding shipping label such that the packing list label can be suspended with a border adhesive from the inside lid of a packing carton (and then later removed for enclosure within the package or within a pouch).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,571 (Michlin et al.) discloses a combined form and label construction. Although this patent teaches printing of the combined form and label in a laser printer, the invention contemplates separating the label from the packing slip, affixing the label to the package, and then inserting the packing slip into a pocket defined between the shipping label and the carton. Thus, this patent does not contemplate or solve the problem of using an adhesive-backed packing slip temporarily secured to an inner package wall while packing, and then detaching the slip for enclosure within the package or within a pouch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,170 (Hatfield, Jr.) discloses a unitary shipping label, product information label and packing slip. The patent does not teach the detachability of the packing slip from the corresponding shipping label such that the packing list may be temporarily secured to an inner package wall while packing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,064 (Main) discloses a packing slip and shipping label combination for use on a package. The invention of Main comprises an adhesive shipping label removably attached to the back side of a packing slip. A problem with this design is that, since the packing slip and shipping label are disposed on opposite sides of the form, it is not possible to print both the slip and the label at the same time.
What is needed, then, is a combination packing slip/shipping label on a common ply to facilitate printing of both slip and label at the same time, where the packing slip is operatively arranged to be temporarily affixed to an internal package wall during packing, and yet can be detached for affixation to an outer package wall, or enclosed in an external pouch.
The invention broadly comprises a combination shipping label and packing slip/label form.
In one embodiment, the combination shipping label and packing slip form comprises a first ply having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a second release liner ply detachably secured to the bottom surface of the first ply. The first ply comprises a detachable shipping label and a corresponding packing slip. The packing slip is detachably secured to the combination shipping label and packing slip form by a substantial die cut through the first ply and the second release liner ply. The packing slip comprises a border section and a bill of materials section separated by a perforation that perforates the first ply and the second release liner ply. The bottom surface of the border section includes an adhesive coating.
A general object of the invention is to provide a form that improves efficiency in packing, shipping, and receiving a package.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciable from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings and claims.